David Cameron u-turns on assisted dying

David Cameron has today become the first former prime minister to come out in support of assisted dying, having previously signalled his opposition to it in 2015. In a piece for the Times, he says that: ‘My main concern and reason for not supporting proposals before now has always been the worry that vulnerable people could be pressured into hastening their own deaths.’ However, Cameron says he has now been reassured by those arguing in favour of Kim Leadbeater’s Bill. Cameron argues:

When we know that there’s no cure, when we know death is imminent, when patients enter a final and acute period of agony, then surely, if they can prevent it and – crucially – want to prevent it, we should let them make that choice,

Of Britain’s eight ex-premiers, four have said they are against assisted dying. Gordon Brown became the first last week, writing in the Guardian about the death of his first daughter, Jennifer Jane, aged only 11 days, and how this strengthened his belief ‘this is not the right time to make such a profound decision’.